Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) is one of Austin’s forgotten water parks and waterslides that only old timers know about or those from Generation X might remember. This water park had double slides. Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) was referred as the best water park next to Wet Willie's Water Slide, Flowmotion, and Austin Aqua Thrill Way. This waterslide one of the dangerous waterslides that was once in Austin. Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) operated from 1978 to 1983 under the name of Wet Willy’s of Austin Inc.
Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) was once located was owned by Roberto Flores and David J Moriaty. David J Moriaty leased the land to Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) in 1976. David J Moriaty sold part of the land to HOSPITAL CORPORATION OF AMERICA for a future hospital. (Ref: Travis County Real Estate Records, Volume 6599, Page 1498)
Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) first opened in 1977. There were only 2 water slides when the water park first opened. Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) was the precursor of Wet Willie's Water Slide and Wet Willie's Splish Splash.
The waterslides for Wet n Wild were made out of concrete as many waterslide were during the 1970s. The concrete got scalding hot during the summer. Wet n Wild was the biggest of the 3 waterslides that were constructed in Austin at that time. However those waterslides were the slowest of those 3 waterslides. 
To be able to ride on this water slide you had to walk up a giant hill. There were no stairs as is the case with other water slide. This water slide was sore of different. When you got to the bottom, you had to walk up a giant hill to ride the water slide again. Wet n Wild had the corner system where those who had 4 corner mats had to leave. 
Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) changed their name to Wet Willie's Water Slide in 1978. Wet Willie's Water Slide was one of the three water parks and waterslides which opened in South Austin in the summer of 1978. The waterslide was on a hillside with a large parking lot out front and was located at the address of 1001 W Ben White Blvd. The water park was also known as Wet n Wild, Wet and Wild, and Wet Willie's Splish Splash. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37959292/south_austin_water_slides/)
Austin American Statesman reported that Wet Willie’s was a franchise but partially owned by Dr. Don Deeds of Georgetown and John Howard of Austin. John Howard was part owner of Wet Willie’s with 2 other people. Wet N Wild was part of their franchise. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20083354/austin_americanstatesman/)
Many remember that Wet n Wild was dangerous! Wet n Wild was not free of any tragic incidents. There were a series of tragic incidents and accidents that occurred at this water park. More than 3 deaths occurred.
There have been a handful of incidents of people getting flipped on the turns. People would get flipped on one of the turns which led them to go backwards the rest of the way. Some reported having broken bones in several places of their body during these turns and flips. This happened multiple times for some people. People reported having several injuries after riding both of their water slides. Several people received multiple bruises and scars riding both slides as they were made out of concrete. Many got blisters while going down the slide. The concrete would reach a scalding hot temperature during summer. The hot temperature burned many riders.
One example of an accident happening at this water park back is in 1978 when someone got severely injured trying to jump the wall of their lane on one of the turns. This incident led the owners to shut down the waterslide for 2 months.
There was one other incident in late 1978 where a kid was severely injured on one of the slides. However this incident was reported be accidental. The water park would not held liable for the incident. Wet Willie's Water Slide and Wet n Wild would continue to operate.
Tragedy struck at this water park in 1979 when someone was severely injured on one of the slides while attempting to jump the curves. That person jumped the curve of the slide and got airborne at a very high altitude. The person went over the edge and died. The whole waterpark closed not too long after that incident. This incident led Wet Willie's Water Slide and Wet n Wild to be shut down in 1979.
The death of this person and the new wave of water parks in the area are what killed Wet Willie's Water Slide and Wet n Wild. It was sad for both Wet Willie's Water Slide and Wet n Wild. The death of this person was so tragic that the water park could no longer operate. Nobody would insure them after that. So the owners shut down Wet Willie's Water Slide for 2 years until 1980 when Wet Willie's Water Slide would be renamed to Splish Splash Water Slide and Wet N Wild.
The State of Texas involuntarily ended their Wet Willie's Water Slide franchise and Wet N Wild by an act of forfeiture on the date of March 16, 1981 because no one would provide them insurance. That’s why Wet Willie's Water Slide was forced to file for forfeiture and later dissolved. (Ref: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0004248206)
David J Moriaty sold some of the land in 1981 to HOSPITAL CORPORATION OF AMERICA for the construction of a future hospital called South Austin Hospital (now St. David's South Austin Medical Center). (Ref: Travis County Real Estate Records, Volume 6599, Page 1499)
The waterslides were left up for a short time and were used for a short period of time before construction of St. David's South Austin Medical Center (then South Austin Hospital). People used the waterslides to skate and bike on. Skaters have gone skateboarding down Wet Willie's Water Slide when it closed. Some have even biked the water slides. Soon both waterslides were covered with graffiti.
Both water slides were bulldozed during an expansion of the hospital. All that remained in 1984 was an empty field of dirt and grass. Dirt and grass were hauled by a dump truck. Grass and dirt were placed over where the concrete slab of the waterslide was. All remnants were removed by 1985.
St. David's South Austin Medical Center is now located where Wet Willie's Water Slide and Wet N Wild once was. Only the storage building, pumps, and a water meter remain. The storage building is where the water meter is located and where the slides used to be. The pumps for Wet Willie’s Water Slide and Wet N Wild are located in the lower part of the parking garage for St. David's South Austin Medical Center.
Wet n Wild (Wet and Wild) was located at 1001 West Ben White Boulevard, Austin, Texas, US 78745.
No comments:
Post a Comment